Mainebiz Special Editions

65 B U S I N E S S P RO F I L E S B U S I N E S S P R O F I L E S S P E C I A L A D V E R T I S I N G S E C T I O N • Accelerated Accounting is an intensive, experiential program with in-depth practical and theoretical financial management practices, offering preparation toward a Certified Public Account designation alongside the MBA. Pathways include public ac- counting, law and government, management and administration, finance and budget, and tax preparation. Graduates practice technical and forensic knowledge of financial and managerial accounting, auditing, and tax accounting; find, retrieve, analyze and use information relevant to the program goals; demonstrate mastery of national and international financial reporting; dem- onstrate the ability to systematically analyze uncertain situations and apply decision-making theories; develop management, leadership, and communication skills adaptable for leadership in diverse business cultures; apply legal and ethical responsibilities toward managerial decisions in the accounting profession; and demonstrate competency in utilizing information technologies and adapt technology to the practice of public accounting. • e Accelerated MBA gets students into leadership roles in less time. Spanning less than one year, the program emphasizes theory and real-world practice. Subjects include management consulting, sales and marketing, operations research analysis, supply chain management, and nonprofit leadership and man- agement. Technology skills workshops, monthly networking events, exclusive lectures by distinguished business leaders, admission to local professional development sessions, monthly career service workshops and events, and one-on-one career service meetings are all designed to drive students to leadership positions in an accelerated timeframe. • e Part-Time MBA program helps students earn an ad- vanced degree in business management—on a schedule that works for them, while balancing work and family responsibili- ties. e degree includes the same rigorous classes required of traditional and accelerated MBA candidates. Courses meet one evening per week, in a mix of online, in person, or hybrid format courses. Classes are available year-round on a rolling- admission schedule, making it easy for most students to finish their degree in 24 months. Master of Science in Education • e general MS/Education program allows certified teachers to advance their careers, on a schedule that works for them. Paths include teaching and school leadership, higher education and stu- dent affairs, adult education, and academic enrichment. Evening classes and a mix of online, in person, or hybrid formats, on a rolling-admission basis, allows degree completion in 24 months. e accelerated MS in Education is a rigorous one year program. • MS in Educational Leadership offers advancement in education administration and leadership, with paths in general education leadership, assistant principal, principal, and superintendent/ assistant superintendent. e program is designed for profes- sionals and focuses either on existing or new projects, along with problem-solving. Learning is geared toward topics most valuable to the individual's future career plans. • MS in Literacy Education aims to combat Maine's illiteracy—the highest rate in New England, with 7% percent of Mainers read- ing at the lowest level of literacy. Students work with children, adults, immigrants, and special populations, in Pre-K through Grade 12 reading education, special education and remedial reading education, adult literacy, English as a Second Language education, and school district reading program coordination. Continuing Education • ese concentrations are also designed to provide flexible op- tions for earning a degree—evenings, online, hybrid format, or on-campus. Classes include bachelor and associate concentra- tions in accounting, arts and sciences, business administration, human resource management, and workforce development. As an MBA grad who now leads the college, Lachance under- stands the burgeoning need for professional development first-hand. "At one time, people had one job their whole lives," she says. "For myself, I'm in my fourth career. And on average, graduates today will have 11 different jobs. When you have that kind of churn in career tracks, you have to constantly upgrade your skills." As a small, private institution, omas College is cognizant of those changes and prepared to meet the demand for higher skill levels, flexibility, learning, and organization. "We've developed a strong suite of offerings that meet the needs of the current workforce, and we're also always evaluating and updating our offerings—constantly reinventing ourselves to make sure we meet the needs of the marketplace and putting people into that marketplace with the skills they need," Lachance says. "As a former Maine State Economist I want to see the state prosper. e most important thing we can do to make sure that continues to happen is bring every single person to their highest potential. omas College is on that cutting edge." l P H O T O S C O U R T E S Y O F T H O M A S C O L L E G E Top: Thomas College President Laurie Lachance is herself a graduate of the college's MBA program. Bottom: Students take part in an MBA class.

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